He was an choral conductor, organist, arranger and composer born in Newquay, Cornwall, England. who received his first musical training as a chorister at Westminster Abbey and then became a music scholar in Bristol prior to becoming an organ scholar at King’s College, Cambridge.
Military service interrupted his studies in WWII and he briefly served in the British Infantry, winning the Military Cross. On his return to continue his studies at Cambridge he was appointed Conductor of the Cambridge Philharmonic Society and the Salisbury Musical Society as well as organist at Salisbury Cathedral.
He moved to Worcester Cathedral in 1950 and stayed there until 1957 when he became Director of Music at King’s College, Cambridge. He also held directorships with the Bach Choir and at the Royal College of Music.
He continued his work as a conductor and organist and made many recordings with the College Choirs of Cambridge. He conducted the King’s College Choir for the premiere of Benjamin Britten’s “War Requiem” in Milan and Venice and they further performed the piece all over the world.
He was awarded many honorary degrees from English Universities and the USA and was given a knighthood in the Queen’s Silver Jubilee Honours List in 1977. He was also an Honorary Fellow and the Musical Director Emeritus of King’s College Choir.
He died in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England in 2015 when he was 95 years old.
The Bach Choir recordings
Angelus ad Virginem
London 417 898-2 ( CD: O Come All Ye Faithful )
Members of the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Organ – John Scott
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Once in Royal David’s City (Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander/Henry John Gauntlett)
London 417 898-2 (CD: O Come All Ye Faithful)
Brass – Members of The Philip Jones Brass Ensemble
Organ – John Scott
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
BBC Welsh Chorus recordings
The First Nowell
Nimbus NI5310 (CD: Celebration: Christmas Fanfares & Carols)
Conductor – John Hugh Thomas
Trumpets – Fanfare Trumpeters of the Welsh Guards
Organ -Huw Tregelles WilliamsBlack Dyke Mills Band
Arranger – Sir David Willcocks
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen
Nimbus NI5310 (CD: Celebration: Christmas Fanfares & Carols)
Conductor – John Hugh Thomas
Organ -Huw Tregelles Williams
Arranged – Sir David Willcocks
Once in Royal David’s City (Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander/Henry John Gauntlett)
Nimbus NI5310 (CD: Celebration: Christmas Fanfares & Carols)
Conductor – John Hugh Thomas
Organ -Huw Tregelles Williams
Arranger – Sir David Willcocks
Choir of King’s College, Cambridge recordings
Blessed Be That Maid Mary (Anonymous 15th Century/George Ratcliffe Woodward)
London 425-499 (CD – On Christmas Night)
Arranger – Sir David Willcocks
Blessed Be That Maid Mary (Anonymous 15th Century/George Ratcliffe Woodward)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Balulalow (John Wedderburn/Traditional Scottish
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
The First Nowell (Anonymous/Traditional)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Anonymous/Traditional)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Hark! The Herald Angels Sing (Charles Wesley/Felix Mendelssohn)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
I Saw Three Ships (Anonymous/Traditional)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
In Dulci Jubilo (Heinrich Suso/Traditional German)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Miserere (Gregorio Allegri)
Polygram 466 075-2 (CD: The Greatest Choral Show on Earth)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Treble – Roy Goodman
O Come All Ye Faithful (Adeste Fidelis) (John Francis Wade/Frederick Oakeley)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
O Little Town of Bethlehem (Phillips Brooks/Ralph Vaughan Williams)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Once in Royal David’s City (Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander/Henry John Gauntlett)
EMI 66241 (CD: Christmas Carols from King’s College, Cambridge)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Once in Royal David’s City (Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander/Henry John Gauntlett)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
We Three Kings (Rev. John Henry Hopkins Jr.)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks (Nahum Tate/Christopher Tye/George Kirbye)
London 444 848 (CD: Noel – Christmas at Kings)
Conductor – Sir David Willcocks
Choir of St. Thomas’s Church recordings
Once in Royal David’s City (Cecil Frances Humphreys Alexander/Henry John Gauntlett)
Pro Organo 7200 (CD: Christmas on Fifth Avenue)
Director – John Scott
Organ – Jeremy Bruns
Arranger – Sir David Willcocks
Sources:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Willcocks
- https://www.gramophone.co.uk/classical-music-news/article/conductor-and-organist-sir-david-willcocks-has-died
- https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Bio/Willcocks-David.htm
- https://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/23/arts/music/sir-david-willcocks-conductor-who-influenced-british-choral-music-dies-at-95.html
- https://www.discogs.com/artist/527161-David-Willcocks
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2275395/